Can't You Feel the Love Tonight, Hot Pie?
by merrylynn
Summary: All Hot Pie wanted to do was eat his piece of bread and drink his ale in peace. Instead, he has Tom sprawled out in front him singing about a blossoming romance in the Brotherhood. He can't be serious, right? Note: Listening to Can You Feel the Love Tonight is highly encouraged and recommended.


_**Tom decided to cue Hot Pie in to the blooming romance between his fellow pals with a musical number. **_

**_Timeline: Pretending Hot Pie stayed with Arya and Gendry, it is now a day after the infamous Peach incident between Arya and Gendry. _**

**_Location: Some random forest in Westeros. _**

******Feeling a little depressed over the separation between Gendry and Arya and I was watching the Lion King, so why not? **Listening to Lion King's version, _Can You Feel the Love Tonight_ is highly recommended and encouraged. Again, I owe nothing. All rights and applause belong to the madness that is GRRM. 

* * *

Hot Pie sat himself by the fire outside the Inn where the Brotherhood claimed at the resting point to end their daylong journey. His feet were pulsating from their long walk and his stomach was growling from malnourishment. He had a plate of steaming hot bread and a cup of ale by in front of him on the empty table. His mouth watered at the smell of fresh baked dough, not remembering the last time he had a hot meal in his tummy.

He ripped of a piece of the bread and was about to stuff in into his mouth when…

"_I can see what's happening_," Tom, the Brotherhood's own musical member sang to Hot Pie, accompanied by the strum of his harp.

His mouth full with the piece of bread, Hot Pie looked behind at Tom, confused. "What?"

"_And they don't have a clue," _Tom continued with his song, strumming along with his harp.

Hot Pie looked around him, wondering what in the seven hells Tom was singing about.

"Who?" He asked, following Tom's stare at Arya and Gendry, who stood off at the edge of the forest. Gendry was looking down at Arya with his face contorted in a look fused with mild amusement and slight irritation. Arya looked up at Gendry with a hundred percent annoyance, her arms failing beside her and her face flushed red. They have been arguing all day long, something about ringing bells or another. Hot Pie had no idea to be perfectly honest. He had been focused more on his rumbling tummy than the fight between his two friends.

Next thing Hot Pie knew, Tom sprawled himself on the wooden table in front of Hot Pie and his meal. He continued strumming his harp with the delicate music, singing in the direction of Arya and Gendry. Hot Pie tried to find his bread and ale but, Tom separated him from being reunited.

"_They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line…" _

His eyebrows rose at the mention of the word 'love.'

Love? HA! No. No way. Absolutely Not. They hated each other! They were always at each other's throats.

He looked more closely at Arya and Gendry. He heard her yell in aggravation, "UGH!" and stomp away from Gendry, who was cracking up.

Nothing loving about that, Hot Pie thought to himself. Tom always seemed a little crazy. He probably had too much to drink at the Inn and was now on one of his many drunken musical sing-a-longs. Hot Pie tried to reach around him to get his meal while it was still hot.

He groaned at the futile attempt. He looked back over at Gendry who seemed glued in the same spot. Weird. He thought that Gendry would come over and sit with him after finishing yet another argument with Arya. He was about to wave Gendry over when he noticed that his friend's eyes were following Arya as she stormed away from Gendry and the Brotherhood and over to a spot by the fire.

"_Your trio's down to two." _

Hot Pie felt a feeling of dread overcome his body as he noticed the twinkle in Gendry's eyes and how the corner of his mouth were curved into a small smile.

No. Hot Pie shook his head. No no no no no no no. NO. NO FREAKING WAY. There is absolutely no way, NO FREAKING WAY, Gendry was in love with Arya. No. Tom is pissed drunk right now and signing nonsense. It's impossible. Preposterous thought.

He saw Gendry follow Arya to the fire.

"Oh."

"_Zee sweet caress of twilight…there is magic everywhere…" _

He looked over at his two friends, sitting in front of the fire. The sky twinkled behind them. It. Freaking. Twinkled.

"_With all this romantic atmosphere…" _

Just hit Gendry, Hot Pie tried to telecommunicate with Arya. Come on! Do it! If she hits him and they continue arguing like normal then all was right in the Seven Kingdoms. There is no love in the air and Tom is just a singing drunk.

Hot Pie felt his heart shatter when he saw the two hugging. Shit.

"_DIASTER'S IN THE AAAAIRRRRRR"_ Tom crooned.

Arya sat by herself at the edge of the fire, not caring if she was sulking.

Gendry, that stupid bullheaded bastard, she thought to herself as she warmed her fingertips against the fire. He still hadn't apologized for the night before at the Peach where he announced to all that she was his sister then got mad at her when she corrected him, storming off promising to go find that whore and lay with her. That idiot!

She crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly feeling self conscious among all these men. Inside the Inn, she was sure they were flirting away with the tavern women, their boobs spilling out from the top of their low-cut dresses. and their long, flowing hair blowing with the late fall breeze and faces painted. The Brotherhood was probably filling up the empty beds in the tavern with easy women, she thought with disgust.

Arya critiqued herself. In a man's tunic and breaches, she looked more like a little boy than the growing young woman that she was. She touched her raggedly, chopped hair, which fell to her should in uneven tufts. She was sure her mother and sister would be horrified to see her in the state she was in now. Dirty, manly and completely undesirable. She would never have any man chase after her like the Brotherhood chased after those women in the taverns and brothel.

"If you keep your face like that for long enough, it will get stuck," she heard Gendry's voice from behind her.

"Go away."

Her body tensed as she felt him brush beside her as he settled in the vacant spot next to her. An electric shock shot right through her body and she felt her heart race a little quicker.

What is wrong with you, she thought to herself. Its just Gendry.

"What's wrong," Gendry asked.

Arya refused to look over at him. She stared straight into the fire instead. "I said, go away."

"Arya, come on. What's wrong," he asked her again. He nudged her slightly, hoping to get her attention.

She bit her bottom lip, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge Gendry.

"Arry…come on. It's just me," he reminded her. "Talk to me."

"Why are you even bothering talking to me," she shouted, whirling around to face him. Her steel eyes shined bright with anger. "Why don't you go inside with your precious Brotherhood and join the fun? I'm sure there are some whores in there who need their bells rung!"

Gendry blinked, taken aback from her sudden rage. "Wh-what," he stammered out, sure he sounded like a blithering idiot. He was still in shock over her outburst. She looked so…_mad_. He had never seen her like this before.

She glared at him. "Leave Gendry."

"No," he retorted back. "Not until you tell what's wrong."

"I said, go away," she raised her hand over to the Inn and the rest of the Brotherhood were. She saw Hot Pie staring at them in awe with Tom lay on the table in front of him. Weird, she thought.

"I'm not leaving," he told her stubbornly. "Not until I find out what's wrong with you."

"UGH," she growled as she went to stand up, only to be yanked back down again. Gendry's strong hand kept her glued to her spot beside him. "Let. Go," she seethed, trying to pull her hand free from his iron grip. Her face grew warm and she wasn't sure if it was from the roaring fire or her close proximity to Gendry.

"Not until you talk to me."

"Let me go, Gendry," she squirmed in his hand. She felt her face grow hotter and became more uncomfortable under Gendry's iron tight grip. She struggled to free her arm and swallowed a lump that was lodged in her throat. The heat burned her eyes and her vision became watery. "Gendry, please," her voice broke a little.

His expression softened as he left go of her wrist immediately. He took in her red face and teary eyes. "Arya…"

She continued swallowing; hoping the lump in her throat would disappear. She heard the pity in Gendry's voice, which made her want to crawl under a rock and stay there forever. She wiped the back of her eyes, her hand burning at the touch of her flaming face.

She felt so embarrassed, sitting next to Gendry with tears in her eyes. Just a moment ago, she was pissed off at Gendry and his stubbornness. Now here she was, crying like a little girl, in the middle of nowhere surrounded by strangers. She never wanted to have her father here with her as she had at this moment.

She dreamt that her father was wrapping his arms around her like whenever she was upset and lonely. She tensed when she realized she wasn't dreaming about being embraced, only Gendry's arms were looped around her as opposed to her father's. She was cradled against his chest as his arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer to him. Unlike the uncomfortable heat that she felt from the fire, Arya was wrapped in Gendry's arms with protective warmth around her.

Gendry felt her tentatively wrapped her arms around his torso as he began to rock back and forth slightly. He wasn't sure why he hugged her. It just seemed like the right thing to do with her next to him, looking like she was about to break down right there and then. Back at Flea Bottom, he saw people hug each other all the time when one of them was upset. Arya was upset so, this seemed most logically.

He rested his chin on top of her head as they continued their embrace. He tried to ignore how easy they fit together and how natural and _right_ hugging her felt.

"I didn't lay with anyone," he told her quietly.

Arya pulled her face from his chest and tipped up to look into his blue eyes. "What?"

His heart fluttered a little in his chest as steel grey meet blue. He noted how their faces were inches from each other. "At the Peach. I didn't…_ring_ anyone's bells," he felt his cheeks burn. "I actually never been with anyone before…a woman, I mean. I've never been with a woman," he managed to stammer out with cheeks flushing.

Arya scrunched her eyebrows, taking in Gendry's blushing cheeks and stammering voice. "Oh," she spoke softly, feeling a tad relieved. "Good."

Gendry nodded his head as they continued sitting there, wrapped in each other's arms by the fire. Good, he wondered. What does that mean? Was she happy about his virginity? Why?

He continued to question her choice of words when he felt her squirm a little and realized he was still hugging her tightly. He suddenly released his firm hold on her.

They sat side by side and an awkward tension filled the air.

Arya suddenly felt a little cold without Gendry's warm embrace. She rubbed her forearms; puzzled to the feeling of relief she had when Gendry confessed that he had never been with a woman before. What is going on with you, she thought to herself, feeling confused. Its just Gendry.

She peeked a look at him, relieved to find him looking as awkward as she felt. She let out a soft sigh and saw Hot Pie at his table, pale-white, eyes wide, clutching the wood like he just saw a White Walker.

"What's up with Hot Pie," she asked, breaking the tension between them.

Gendry turned his head over to their friend. He knitted his eyebrows together. "He looks constipated."

Arya snorted back a laugh. "What's Tom singing about?"

They heard him crooning with a harp as Hot Pie hyperventilated next to him.

"_CAN YOU FEEL THE LOOOOVE TONIGHT? THE PEACE THE EVENING BRINGS…" _

An idea popped into his head as he heard the music. Gendry suddenly hopped up from his seat and held a hand out to Arya.

"May I have this dance, milady," he asked, bowing in front of her.

Arya snorted again, completely unladylike. "Do not call me milady," she said, thinking he was joking. Next thing she knew, Gendry pulled her onto her feet and to the middle of the forest.

She squirmed out of his hands. "Gendry! Stop! I don't dance!"

He chuckled as he yanked her along. "Come on, milady! I thought all you highborns are breed for this kind of stuff!"

"Don't call me milady," she yelled at him again.

She froze suddenly when she felt his hands on her waist. Her hands clutched the front of his tunic and she felt his heart beating under her palm. She looked up at Gendry and saw an expression she had never seen before. His startling blue eyes looked more clear and blue under the twinkling stars.

They stood there, frozen in that position for what seemed like an eternity.

Gendry moved Arya's hands from his chest and held them as they stood in front of each other. He seemed lost as to what to do next. Realization dawned on Arya.

"I think we move around in circles," she told him softly, cupping his hands. "Holding hands." She remembered her father and mother use to dance in small circles around the house, hands clutching each other. She always thought it looked ridiculous until she realized how nice it felt to have Gendry's hand in her hand.

"Right." Gendry's face broke into smile as he and Arya circled around each other, holding hands. He was happy only Hot Pie and Tom were outside, watching them dance around each other like fools. He didn't want the rest of the Brotherhood cracking jokes and harassing them about their dance during tomorrow's journey. He didn't want this moment to be spoiled by anyone.

It was just himself and Arya underneath the dark sky, filled with the clearest and brightest stars he had ever seen. He heard the crackling of the fire and Tom's singing.

"_Stealing through the night's uncertainty…Love is where they are…."_

Hot Pie's once warm piece of bread was now cold and his ale was left untouched. He lost his appetite as he watched Arya and Gendry twirled around like little forest children.

"_And if he falls in love tonight…It can be assumed," _Tom's song gradually came to an end.

Hot Pie gaped at Gendry as he continued to spin Arya around in his arms. He wanted to throw up. He saw them both smiling stupidly at each other, oblivious to anyone around them.

Wait! Did Arya seriously just giggle? WHAT IN THE SEVEN HELLS IS GOING ON!?

"_His carefree days with us are history…" _

Hot Pie felt that the life flashed before his eyes as he continued to watch Gendry and Arya dance together. Flashes of the three of them walking side by side on Kingsroad played in his head. Them talking about knights and the Wall, the future that lies ahead. And bread. They talked a lot about bread too. Well, they mostly listened and he talked a lot about bread.

They spent so much time together, the three of them. From the Kingsroad to Harrenhal to the Brotherhood, it always came down to the three of them together. He always thought it would always be just the three of them. He knew that Arya and Gendry were close, much closer to each other than to him but, that never bothered him. It always boiled down to just the tree of them together.

There was no way that Gendry and Arya were falling in love. It would ruin everything.

Gendry hoisted Arya up in the air and spun her around. Her head was thrown back, laughing as Gendry wore a stupid grin on his face.

Oh, come on. COME FUCKING ON. You have got to be shitting me.

Tom plunked a few more strings on the harp as Hot Pie slowly broke down at the realization of Gendry and Arya.

"_In short," _Tom's voice drew out the final word, plunking some final strings from his harp.

Arya's lips brushed against Gendry's cheek. He saw Gendry's face explode in red and that stupid grin on his face grew wider.

_"OUR PAL IS DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOMED." _

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH," Hot Pie moaned as tears flowed from his eyes.

They were doomed, he thought. The wolf and the bull were utterly and completely doomed.


End file.
